The Effects Of Angie Thomas’s Life
Over the years, racism has caused over a thousand people to die per year (Richard Eskow). Angie Thomas’s, The Hate U Give, shows the struggle she carried and others carry as a child being black. Angie Thomas lived her life in a violent black neighborhood and we find out later why she wrote a book to help young adults live through racism and hate.
To begin, Angie Thomas is a New York Times best selling author who wanted her voice to be heard and tried it with music but instead she grabbed people’s attention by writing. Thomas is a African American that was born in 1989 in Jackson, Mississippi, and attended Belhaven university. When Thomas was young she went through a tragedy that changed her life. She was six and playing in the neighborhood park when she suddenly heard gunshots right next to her, she was able to make it home without harm but her life was changed forever. Later in life, Thomas told an interviewer, “My mom wanted me to see there was more to the world than this” (Contemporary Authors Online). Julia Thomas, Angie’s mother raised her along with her grandmother. In Thomas’s early childhood life she knew she wanted her voice to be heard so she tried rapping. She was referred to as “Young Short-A and Da Lil’ Lady Pimptress” when she was a rapper. Thomas won many awards for academics but most of her high school years, she was homeschooled. As I said before Thomas graduated at Belhaven University, but it wasn’t until she saw her love of writing until she wrote a short story in a class, that later led to her award winning novel. The Number 1, New York Times bestseller list for Young Adult Handcover Books on March 9, 2017, The Hate U Give. Thomas’s book stayed on the bestsellers list for approximately 81 weeks (“Biography of Angie Thomas”).
In addition to being a New York Times Best Selling Book, The Hate U Give won many awards because of the amazing story line and writing of Thomas. Some of the awards are: Walter Grant from the We Need Diverse Books organization in 2015, William C. Morris Award given in 2018, Micheal L. Printz Award in 2018, Coretta Scott King Award, Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2018 (“Biography of Angie Thomas”). In turn, the main focus of The Hate U Give is to pull at young black teens to stand up for what is right (Sanne). In the book, the main character, Starr who is an African American who lives in a black neighborhood but goes to a white prep school and struggles to live two lives. Starr’s who worlds soon come to one when her best friend is shot by a white police officer. Khalid’s death changed Starr’s life forever because Khalid was shot by the officer when asked him to step out of the vehicle, while he outside he leaned over the car door window to check on Starr and the police fired his gun and shot Khalid. This act made Starr realize she needed to stand up for her community, herself, and Khalid. (Contemporary Black Biography).
Due to all of the acts of racism and hate in this world, it inspired Thomas to write a book to help young teens like Starr stand up for the phrase “Black Lives Matter.” Their are so many young black victims that are killed because of simply being black. 18 year old Micheal Brown, 12 year old Tamir Rice, 17 year old Trayvon Martin all victims who were shot and killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time (Dayna Evans). Stories like these inspired Thomas to start writing. Thomas was also inspired by what’s she called “Big Three.” The Big Three is the three things that inspired Thomas to write. The first of the three is her first book she ever read, Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor which is about a black woman from Mississippi who Thomas explained was just like her. Her second inspiration is Tupac, The title of The Hate You Give came from Tupac’s tattoo, and his life as a thug, Thomas also saw herself for the first time in Tupac’s music. Thomas’s third inspiration is TLC who made an impact on Thomas life in many ways (Sanne). The Hate You Give will be a powerful inspiration to many blacks, and white as we live through this crucial time of segregation.
In conclusion, Thomas’s book, The Hate You Give, is a powerful tool for young adult to live through this time. Many people don’t know about the hate we face in this world because they only see certain things because of where we live, but around the world people struggle to even stay alive. I am happy to say I have started to read The Hate You Give and it already has taught me so much and I encourage everyone around me to read this powerful book.
